DHARMAPURI : Tourists and residents have accused the Koothapadi panchayat of charging excessive parking fees at Hogenakkal, which has witnessed high footfall for religious and recreational activities in recent weeks. On Wednesday, a tourist took to social media to condemn the Pennagaram Block Development office and the panchayat for exploiting tourists.
M Sathish, a Dharmapuri resident, told TNIE, “I arrived at Hogenakkal on Wednesday to offer prayers as it was an auspicious day. As soon as I arrived, a person came up to my car and demanded Rs 100 for parking. I was asked to pay or leave. Last year, the parking fee was little over Rs 30.”
K Sureshkumar, a Hogenakkal resident said, “It is true that the Koothapadi panchayat issues a tender and an entrance and parking fare is collected. Two years ago, the situation was worse, with tourists being charged excessive amounts. The Pennagaram Tahsildhar and the BDO monitor the situation regularly. If this situation has risen again, the district administration must conduct an investigation.”
However, Block Development Officer M Kalpana said she hasn’t received any complaint and is unaware of the social media post. “We have issued a tender to private individuals for maintenance, parking among other works. They are only allowed to collect an agreed upon fee and the fare is not that excessive. We will look into the matter, as per my knowledge the maximum parking fee for cars does not exceed `80.”